Fixer of Deceit (Infinity Collection)

by Alyson Raynes

  Fixer of Deceit

  Book One of the Infinity Collection

  By

  Alyson Raynes

  Fixer of Deceit

  By Alyson Raynes

  Copyright © 2013 Alyson Raynes

  All Rights Reserved

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any whatsoever without the express written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, events, business establishments or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Author Contact:

  Website: www.alysonraynes.com

  Email: Alyson.raynes@gmail.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alyraynes72

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlysonRaynes

  About the author:

  Alyson Raynes lives in the beautiful state of Colorado. She has been happily married for twenty-one years and is the proud mother of two adult children, a Labrador puppy and a little gray kitty. Alyson has been writing and publishing since she was a little girl and had her earliest works displayed in her elementary school library. Once a corporate accountant, she turned in her abacus to pursue her love of writing full-time and couldn’t been happier.

  Dedication:

  This book is dedicated to Onne- for her countless hours of encouragement during the process of me writing my first book. Tara- for the time she spent creating and revising the cover for the book. I know I wasn’t always easy to deal with. Aryca- for being the best hairdresser a girl can have and for listening to me ramble on about ideas and giving suggestions for the story. Amy- for being the best little sister and taking the time to read the roughest draft and being honest about changes that needed to be made. Taia- for making me laugh on a daily basis and helping me keep my sanity through humor. Kim- for being a rock star and editing numerous copies and introducing me to sushi.

  A special thank you goes out to my children for listening to my ideas and supporting me unconditionally. To my husband, there are no words that can express how much I love you. Thank you for cleaning the house, doing the laundry but most of all, thank you for being my fixer of everything.

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  CHAPTER 1

  The car was speeding out of control as the road kept winding, my confusion becoming apparent, taking over my senses. Fear bit through me and then the car was flipping. I heard painful screams, silent prayers and as the car came to rest on its side; dead silence.

  I was jolted awake by the sound of the alarm and Stefan reaching over to hit the snooze button. He rolled over and pulled me to him, rubbing his morning stubble on my cheek. “Time to get up Brooke”, he said. “Don’t you have your interview today?” “Yes”, I groaned, not wanting to move. I was tired, the nightmares of my past weighing on my conscience. I placed a kiss on his cheek and rolled out of bed. I needed a shower and some caffeine stat. Glad that I had stopped at the store the night before, I reached for a coffee filter, some coffee and started my morning brew.

  When I returned to the room I saw Stefan sprawled out on his back in our king sized bed. He had just enough sheet covering the lower half of his body, but his muscular torso was fully exposed. Stefan was sexy as hell and women took notice everywhere we went. He was always meticulously dressed in the finest suits and his caramel colored light brown hair, crystal green eyes and tanned skin did crazy things to me. He looked nothing like your average thirty-six year old.

  ***

  June was always one of the hottest months in Colorado, this year was no exception. I was on my way to the interview of a lifetime and I had spent a lot of time in front of the mirror, trying to decide what to wear. I decided on a black pant suit with a red camisole underneath and pulled my hair back into a pony tail hoping that I would get taken more seriously than if I had left my hair down and curled it. As a last finishing touch, I accessorized with my gold hoop earrings. I hardly recognized myself. Normally I dressed in shorts or sweats for the day. I didn’t own nice clothes because I didn’t have a need for them working at the print shop. However, being dressed in a suit was bringing out a new feeling of confidence and power in me; I loved it.

  I drove thirty minutes to get to the city. The sun was shining bright leaving me hot and sweaty even with the air conditioning on. Perhaps I should have chosen something lighter to wear. Lost in my thoughts I turned down another street, it seemed construction was taking place on every corner. With all the chaos and one way streets I had managed to get myself lost. I’d rarely ever gone to the city except for dinners with Stefan and he was the one that usually did the driving. I finally conceded my will to find the building on my own and called Stefan for help. When I hung up the phone, I realized that I was sitting in front of the building. It was the tallest building in the city; I didn’t know how I missed it. Pulling in to the attached parking garage, I parked my sleek Audi, looked in the mirror and prayed like hell that I got the job.

  The moment I stepped inside the Stockton Building I was overwhelmed by its grand appearance. The sheer size made me feel small and insignificant; while black marbled floors, walls and a deep cherry wood security desk greeted me. Couches and chairs were scattered throughout the main lobby. People were sitting, having casual conversations; while others sat with their laptops conducting business. To the left were twelve bays of elevators. I slowly made my way over to the fancy information desk, taking in my surroundings where an armed guard sat. He instructed me to sign in then issued me a temporary badge on a paper sticker that read “Hello” with my name hand written below it. I wasn’t terribly fond of high rise buildings. My fear of heights normally prevented me from taking such risks. When I reached my destination on the thirty-eighth floor I was overcome with anxiety from the beautiful views of the city. As breathtaking as the view was, I did my best to stay away from the large windows as I waited for my interviewer.

  Ten minutes later, a short, slender man in his mid forties approached. His features were soft; a hint of gray sprinkled his hair, his brown eyes stunning.

  “Ms. Stone”, he said as he offered me his hand. “Mr. Turner”, I nodded. “It’s very nice to meet you.” “Likewise, Ms. Stone”, he said. “Thank you for coming in today. Please follow me.” His hands were soft and his handshake firm. As we rode the elevator to the fortieth floor he explained that he was the accounting manager and that all financial functions of the company were located on the upper level for security. I was to interview with him and two others from the department. The first would be his assistant and then with the gentlemen whose job duties I would be taking over. He steered me into a large conference room with a long cherry wood conference table and black leather chairs. Around me, another stunning view of the city courtesy of the floor to ceiling windows; I couldn’t help the sick feeling that was taking root at the pit of my stomach.

  I felt confident that my interview was going well. It was the usual questions about my experience, education and where I saw myself in five years. Considering I had my Masters Degree, I really didn’t have a five year plan, or at least I hadn’t put much thought into it at that point. I lied and said I wanted to pursue my CPA to appease my interviewer. Then I was then greeted by a tall, heavy set blonde with glasses who introduced herself as Laura Fuller. Laura wasn’t like David; she asked tougher questions that brought my confidence level
down a notch. I had always interacted better with males than I did females. Laura was more focused on my knowledge of accounting laws and procedures more than anything. She seemed pleased with my answers and instructed me to wait for the last interviewer.

  Nothing could have prepared me for what stood before me. Tall, dark and handsome; that old cliché came to mind. Only he was more, so much more. I was thirsty just looking at him and I couldn’t help the feelings that were stirring inside. I didn’t even know the guy, let alone have the job yet. I licked my lips, trying to pick my jaw up off the floor, although I’m not sure I was very successful at that. He offered his hand to me and with his deep, sex driven, silky voice said, “Ms. Stone; I’m Dylan Prescott, it’s very nice to meet you.” When I touched him I felt a force of energy pass through me but I ignored it. “Mr. Prescott”, I said as I shook his hand. Fuck me, he’s hot. The next twenty minutes with him was pure hell. I couldn’t stop staring at him as I squirmed, pressing my thighs together; praying this moment would never end. I was totally mesmerized by the hot piece of ass that sat before me and I couldn’t recall a single word he said.

  Dylan Prescott was a man that screamed sex and could give a woman an orgasm just by smiling at her. No matter how much clothing he wore, you knew the body underneath was that of a Greek god. His short, chocolate brown hair and eyes as blue as the sky that sparkled when he smiled, were an exotic aphrodisiac. I knew I would be in serious trouble if I had to work too closely with the man.

  As the interview concluded, I shook his hand and told him “I hope to hear from you soon and I’m available to start as soon as possible.” Again, he flashed that gorgeous smile sending sinful messages straight between my legs. “I look forward to working with you Ms. Stone”, he said. “The team will meet and we’ll give you our decision by the end of the week.” Ah god. The man was doing crazy, sinful things to my body. Get a grip Brooke. You don’t even know the guy and…you have a boyfriend. I was both grateful and disappointed that our time together had come to an end. Doubting that I’d ever see him again, I left and forced Dylan Prescott out of my mind.

  ***

  I had just returned from the gym and was folding laundry when I received the call from David. After short deliberation, they had decided I was the best candidate for the position and wanted me to start the following Monday. I was beside myself with excitement. I finally had my first real corporate job. Knowing the job was now mine, I knew sweat pants and shorts weren’t going to cut it working for Prescott Oil and Gas International. I made a mental note to go shopping for new clothes and shoes. I figured four days was plenty of time to get my act together and start looking like the professional I knew I was.

  CHAPTER 2

  The last four days had gone by in a blur. My sister Stephanie and I had gone shopping and I’d chosen several pairs of slacks, blouses and skirts. I also managed to get a new hairstyle, adding blonde highlights to my auburn, shoulder cut hair. The new color was flattering to my hazel green eyes. Not at any time in my adult life had I thought I was pretty, I was quickly putting those negative thoughts aside as I embarked on a new path in life.

  Eager to start the day, I awoke early. I knew rush hour going into the city would be anything but pleasant. Not much of a morning person, I fixed myself a cup of coffee while waiting for the shower to warm up. Stefan hated it when I turned the water on and walked away, he would always say that I was wasting water. When I returned to the room, I realized that he’d already gone for the day. I tested the temperature with my toes and stepped in under the warm stream of water. Fifteen minutes later I was wrapped in a towel wondering if I would see Dylan. A part of me wanted to. There was something about him and I couldn’t stop thinking about him, no matter how many times I tried to force him out of my thoughts. Shaking my head in astonishment, I walked in to my over sized walk-in closet to find the perfect outfit. We were expecting another ninety-five degree day and to keep myself from sweating to death I settled on a light pink chiffon skirt and a white, short sleeved silk blouse. It was cool, light, and professional, which is all I cared about.

  Wanting to ensure I made it to work on time my first day, I left the apartment an hour early. My eagerness got the best of me; providing me with twenty minutes to spare. I grabbed a tall non-fat vanilla latte from the little coffee cart that was located in the main lobby before heading up to the thirty-eighth floor. A beautiful, tall slender blonde was awaiting my arrival in HR. “Good morning Ms. Stone. I’m Mischka Samuels.” “Good morning”, I replied. “We need to get you a security badge before you can go to your respective floor. Your security badge will provide you twenty-four hour access to the building.” I wondered what I had gotten myself in to; needing twenty-four hour access seemed a bit extreme. Then again, I wasn’t accustomed to working in the corporate world. I spent the next three hours watching videos on sexual harassment in the work place and filling out paper work for benefits that were offered.

  My heart stopped as I reached my cubicle, remembering who it was that would be doing all of my training. Oh god. I felt like a giddy teenager on a first date. My mouth went dry, my heart was pounding and I could hear the blood rushing through my ears. Mischka introduced us as she gave him a flirty smile. Bitch. I was seriously irritated with the way she looked at him. He took my hand and introduced himself again, as if I could ever forget. Oh yeah, I remember you. You’re the hot piece of ass I wanted to rip the clothes off of and have my wicked way with on the conference room table. Dylan must have sensed my thoughts because he flashed me a wicked smile that made my panties instantly wet. Oh, I didn’t need this today. I was never going to get any work done with him around. So I did the only thing I could do, I pulled out the only picture I had of Stefan set it down on my desk, and went to work. My training had officially begun as we spent the remainder of the day going over financials and when five o’clock rolled around, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

  My heart was racing, my thoughts scattered. What he was doing to me was beyond fair. He had all kinds of effect on my libido and I didn’t seem to affect his in the least. It was as if he had a direct connection to my body, my thoughts. I got wet just thinking about him, having him near was killing me. I had been around gorgeous men my entire life. None had ever affected me the way Dylan did. I couldn’t understand why he was having such a profound effect on me, especially when I didn’t know him. Sure it could have been his stunning good looks but it felt like something deeper.

  The next five days were much of the same. I spent my days training with Dylan, reviewing financials and trying to restrain myself from touching him. I loved watching him work; his jaw ticking slightly whenever he was in deep concentration. Every now and then I would catch him looking out of the corner of his eye, the edges of his mouth curling. The little shit knew exactly what he was doing. I wondered if he had this effect on all the women. Who was I kidding? Of course he did! A person wasn’t that good looking; not knowing the effects they had on other people. I had even caught other men checking him out.

  Everything about Dylan was a mystery. How old was he, did he have a girlfriend and why did he seem so damn irresistible to me? I was trying really hard not to seem overly interested in him. I knew from the little experience that I did have, that men didn’t respect women who threw themselves at them. After lunch I returned to my desk to find Dylan sitting at my desk eating grilled chicken and broccoli. “What are you doing”, I asked. He looked at me with an obvious stare. “Eating my lunch.” Well duh, smartass! “I can see that, thanks. Why are you eating at my desk? Don’t you have your own desk?” He flashed me that wicked smile. “Because, I can.” What a pompous little ass, I thought. I pushed down my frustration and humor, because inside I was laughing my ass off. He was such a confident little prick. When he finally quit laughing he explained that he was training for a body building competition; which required him to eat six meals a day. It all made sense now.

  I figured since we were on a roll and he was divulging personal i
nformation, I would go in for the kill.

  “So, how old are you anyway?”

  He pushed his shoulders back and grinned.

  “Twenty-seven. Why Brooke? How old are you?”

  “A lady never tells”, I said.

  He threw his head back and laughed.

  “That’s bullshit and you know it.”

  I laughed too. He was right. I never followed that stupid cliché either. To me, age was just a number. It was how you thought and felt that mattered. Then reality smacked me right in the face. I was seven years his senior. Did that make me a cougar? I wasn’t chasing him but I damn sure wanted to. We were just getting back to work when a petite brunette showed up at my desk. Dylan was kind enough to introduce us.

  “Misty Adams, this is Brooke Stone.”

  “Nice to meet you Misty”, I said.

  “Good to meet you too, Brooke. I work in the legal department. Dylan and I have been dating for about six months.”

  So, Dylan had an eye for older women. I had wondered and she was anything but nice. Misty weighed all of ninety-five pounds and had to be in her mid to early forties. Her eyes were dark brown, almost black and she gave off a, don’t fuck with my man vibe. She appeared to be quite smitten with her little man cub Dylan. I didn’t trust her and there was no love lost between us. I hated her violently, wishing I had gone the rest of my existence not meeting her. I always had issues with women who were catty, and she had catty bitch written all over her face. It didn’t hurt my feelings that she worked on a different floor than us but I knew that wouldn’t be the last I would see or hear from her.

  CHAPTER 3

  I saw less of Dylan as my training came to an end, but it didn’t stop me from thinking about him. Every now and then he would stop by my desk or I would see him in meetings. His body had changed substantially, making him even more delicious than when I’d first met him. I wasn’t in to guys that had a lot of muscle; Dylan wore it well. I was just coming back from meeting on the thirty-fourth floor when I ran in to Dylan in the stairwell. I had chosen to take the stairs since I’d been missing a lot of my workouts at the gym due to my crazy work schedule. Dylan cornered me, pushing against the wall, his intense blue eyes staring into mine. He leaned in and kissed me, hard! As much as I hated to do what I had to do, I pushed him away.